MFFF MOVIE REVIEW: DIPLOMACY (DIPLOMATIE)


41/2/5

Its Paris in 1944 and the alliance troops are approaching to liberate it. Hitler has ordered to blow up every monument, every bridge, every museum to smithereens. On the final night of the plan execution Swedish consul general Raoul Nording enters the office of German military governor in order to stop the catastrophe. He has one night to change governor’s mind. We all know he succeeded. But how? And at what cost?

DIPLOMACY is an adaptation to screen of a successful play of the same name. Using the same cast as from the original stage production the movie has a very theatrical feel about it. The camera rarely leaves the room, but we do get a sense that beyond these walls lays the beautiful city. It is a little scary to think how easily things could have gone wrong.

Andre Dussollier as Swedish diplomat and Neils Arestrup as German governor are slipping into their roles as if into a comfortable, well worn shoes, which is not surprising considering they have done the stage show together. The chemistry between the characters is evident, what we witness are two men who did not loose respect for each other among the horrors of war, but each of them is still ready to do what it takes to achieve their goal.

The film would have benefited of some aerial shots of Paris, even some CGI would do. It would be nice to be reminded what is really at stake here, to see Paris of that time, damaged but unbroken. The little we see of the battle outside the walls feels stagy, but it does complement theatrical feel of the film and is not necessarily a negative thing.


With its top notch performances and swiftly little dialogue DIPLOMACY is a great introduction to a good play and will appeal to anyone who likes dramatic and focused filmmaking.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We'll End Up Together - Nous Finirons Ensemble (French Movie Review)

Image
10/10 Max has a sixtieth birthday coming up. The problem is he is broke, divorced and depressed. When a group of his best friends show up at his doorstep to help him celebrate, he reluctantly agrees to spend a few days with them, but won’t explain what’s going on in his personal life. When ones darkest moments come, will friendship conquer all? Seven years after the breakout success of the film Little White Lies (Les Petits Mouchoirs) comes the long anticipated sequel and it is worth the wait. The success of WE’LL END UP TOGETHER is not in its rather predictable plot, but the chemistry on screen, the characters that we recognise ourselves and our friends in, and the amazing warm atmosphere that makes one believe there’s no problem a good dinner with friends won’t sort out.  Written and directed by much loved French actor and director  Guillaume Canet this movie feels like a welcome return home to those who have seen the original and will also welcome new viewership - the film c
Read more

KOREAN MOVIE REVIEW: MEMOIR OF A MURDERER

Image
8/10 Byung-su is an elderly veterinarian who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He has a caring daughter who does all she can to make his life easier, and a policemen friend whose name Byung-su forgets from time to time. He also goes to a poetry club (in order to keep his mind exercised) where a lonely widow makes advances at him. But there’s one thing that sets Byung-su apart from the other senior citizens of his little town – he is a serial killer.  When a new wave of killings begin Byung-su starts to suspect that a young man who is dating his daughter is the culprit. Trying to keep the remains of his memories together Byung-su writes extensive journals. But what if his memories are actually real? Losing his grip on reality he goes head to head with the new serial killer in order to protect the only life he cares about in the world – his daughter’s. Before Dexter came around Koreans had excelled in creating charismatic killers as protagonists of the films
Read more

MSFF: DEATH IN BUENOS AIRES (MUERTE EN BUENOS AIRES)

Image
3 1/2 /5 It's year 1980 and we are in Buenos Aires. The wealthy gay man is murdered  and inspector Chaves is on the case. In order to find the culprit he has to plunge into the world of gay nightclubs, drugs and sex. But what is it with the young and handsome officer Gomes, who was the first on the crime scene, and seems to place himself with ease as a mole into a gay community? Is he trying to catch the killer? Or hiding something? As suspicions arise, Chaves is haunted by the feelings he does not understand. Will the fatal attraction to a younger man help him to solve the case, or be his undoing? First time director Natalie Meta is "spot on" on the upbeat atmosphere of the 80s without too much expense. She cleverly uses the pop tunes, over-the-top clothes and many other ingredients to recreate the time. The murder mystery is secondary, and the movie is focused on the relationship between the two men, full of innuendoes and mistrust. The very simple cinema
Read more